𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 • 𝐂. 𝐒𝐍𝐎𝐖

TEN

I try and fail to see Sejanus again for the rest of the day. It's almost as though he's avoiding me and that really hurts my feelings. He's my one and only true friend here.

I have an idea for my interview and so that's how I find myself at Fabricias store after school. "Tigris hi, how've you been? I'm so sorry it's been a while things have been so chaotic." I explain after laying eyes on my friend. She smiles and shakes her head as she takes my hand in hers. "I understand, I can't even imagine how hard this is for all of you." I give her a quick update on what had been going on and she in return tells me everything she'd been going through the past few days.

"But all that aside what can I do for you today?" She asks once her boss reappears. "For my tribute interview, I want to sew him a new shirt and maybe a dress for his district partner. I know he wants to look out for her so I want to present them as a united front." I trail off starting to think it sounded stupid but Tigris assures me with bright eyes that it sounded wonderful. We search for the perfect materials together idly talking as we do and then once we find it I bid her a goodbye with a giant tip before rushing off to get started on my ideas.

I spend hours poured over my machine as I sew Reapers new blue shirt. It's hand stitching all the little designs that takes up most of my time but I don't mind. I try and keep his shirt as similar to the one he were already wearing, wanting him to still be repping his district, in fact I only sew designs that are common to district eleven. Aside from the small little flame I sew into the cuff of his sleeve. That one is for me, just a reminder that I'm there for him whilst he's in the arena.

I sigh in exhaustion but glance at the dress I'd only just started for Dill. I want to give up and go to sleep desperately but I know the games are fast approaching and that this will take me a while. I want them to be matching, to be proud of themselves and actually feel like real people before the arena changes them for however long they have left.

I focus on a soft babydoll dress for the young girl. I try and keep it light not to age her up too much but focus on her soft innocence as a child. I try and keep influences from the clothes she'd been wearing which is why her dress isn't exactly the same shade as Reapers shirt. It's more so a nice neutral shade with hints of the blue incorporated in the little designs I copy from Reapers shirt. I want her to feel pretty for a last time after the horrendous conditions she'd been forced to endure and I hope that if her family are watching that they'll get to see her as she was, remember her as the beautiful and youthful child she was back home with them.

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧

We get told we're going on a tour of the arena later in the day and I dread it. I don't want to think about the games, about how fast approaching they were. Coriolanus is late to meet everyone at the arena, I know this because we're lined up in reverse order and he runs past us and manages to slip into the line just in time.

"You okay?" I glance to the side to see Reaper watching me intently. I force a smile and nod. "You?" He returns my nod and then we begin getting escorted inside. I hold my breath as we walk through the arena. Trying to ignore the repeat of the automated enjoy the show that rang out each time someone passed the barriers. I know Reaper had good odds compared to his fellow tributes but the fact there wasn't really anywhere here that he could hide does frighten me. Even if he isn't the hiding type. I can't help but reach for his hand, it's when I hear snickering I become aware and want to pull away. I catch sight of my classmates looking at the two of us. Reaper's caught sight too and he begins to let go of my hand. The fear and shame in my stomach are replaced by anger. I've never liked these people, never cared what they thought. Why do I care now?

I hold onto Reaper's hand tighter, not letting him let me go. He looks down at me inquisitively. "Me and you are a team. Even after you win and go home. Although you're taking the brunt of this, I'm with you. Forever." I do hope as horrible as it is for the others I hope that Reaper wins. He nods, he goes to say something but stops and ends up squeezing my hand instead but I know what he means.

I notice Fleix isn't even attempting to try with Dill, Reaper notices it too and so like we're in sync we both walk over to her, he pulls her in close and instructs that she stays by his side. We do mdm if
No a little more walking around the arena even though there's not much to see. I'm not holding Reapers hand anymore, he's doing more of the surveillance whilst Dill and I are hanging back a bit. We're chatting idly, she'd been a bit more reserved to begin with but she'd really opened up pretty quickly.

She's mid telling me a story about her school friends back home when all of a sudden the ground shakes. There's a slight tremor before everything just explodes, literally. Everything is so chaotic I can't even process what is going on properly, when that first blast hit I pushed Dill to the side as parts of the arena fell towards us. I was hit but I ignored it and threw myself over Dill and pushed us both to the ground. I keep my face firmly down as I used myself to cocoon her to the best of my ability. It's when the second blast goes off that I feel a body over mine, glancing up I see the blue of Reapers shirt as he now shields me.

We stay like that until the ground is still again, he pulls us both up and asks if we're okay, Dill nods and he just about looks me over, takes in my injuries when the peacekeepers come storming in. I feel lightheaded as the arena looks like it's swaying to me. Before I know it I feel myself toppling to the ground. Both tributes catch me only to be ripped away by the guards swarming the place. I reach out once more softly whispering Reapers name as his blurry figure disappears.